Universal’s Big Miracle is based on Thomas Rose’s book about efforts to save a family of trapped cetaceans, Freeing The Whales. Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report took the Sid Caesar Comedy Award for its biting satire of a Congressman’s defense of dogfighting, and NBC’s Harry’s Law won the Dramatic Series Award for an episode questioning the ethics of keeping primates in captivity.

Best TV Documentary went to Discovery’s Ivory Wars for its examination of the elephant ivory trade, and the best TV Newsmagazine Award was shared by NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams for in-depth reporting on endangered orangutans and rhinos and the issue of chimps in research, and ABC’s Nightline for an investigation into the abuse of Tennessee Walking Horses by one of the industry’s best-known trainers.